


puckentine prompts

by GrandesGarland



Category: Sam & Cat (TV), Victorious (TV)
Genre: F/F, i wrote these all the way back in 2015 man those were the days, just uploading it here as a backup, puckentine, the ship that never was but lives on
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-01-19
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:54:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22327444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GrandesGarland/pseuds/GrandesGarland
Summary: Just some sweet/fluffy Puckentine short stories I will be working on.
Relationships: Sam Puckett/Cat Valentine, Tori Vega & Jade West
Comments: 2
Kudos: 37





	1. war

Before the attack on Pearl Harbor there were no more than five thousand nurses for the troops, but after the dreadful attack, more than thirty thousand nurses volunteered to serve their country.

Cat Valentine was a nurse, a good one as she claimed. True, she did not handle stressful situations well and the mere sight of blood was enough to make her lose consciousness, but young nurse Valentine was a good-spirited, patriotic lady who wanted nothing but help.

The victory of June 6th brought great joy to the charming nurse, but it did not last. Miss Valentine was enlisted to go to the German-occupied Western Europe, so she could tend to the wounded and lift up their spirits.

And while Cat was extremely happy to be able to help, but she could not help but feel scared and vulnerable outside her beloved USA.

Nevertheless the girl embarked herself to the now freed coasts of Normandy, where she settled and with the help of other specialists and nurses, began her dedicated work.

It wasn’t long before the tents were filled with wounded soldiers and the nurses had to split and give attention to each warrior individually.

Cat was dragged into a tent where a soldier was waiting desperately for her. She knew the soldier had taken a bullet and therefore she knew there was going to be blood everywhere, and even though she had managed to find the strength to now pass out lately in the presence of blood, she did not feel quite prepare to deal with it on her own.

It did not matter though, and soon enough she found herself alone in a secluded tent, in the company of a furious soldier.

“It was about damn time!” The young lad exclaimed from the improvised bed that was nothing more than a wooden old table with a dirty sheet on top, “I feel like I’ve been in here forever!”

The redhead could distinguish the red stain on the left shoulder of the blonde boy. It did not seem to be critical, if it were the young soldier would be already agonizing and there would be blood everywhere.

Taking a deep breath in, Cat held onto her small first-aid kit and approached the injured lad. “What happened?” The girl asked, trying to hide the tremble in her voice.

“My battalion was sent to take over the last enemy camp,” The boy began to explain in a hoarse, deep voice, “There weren’t many, but of course I had to be the one to get shot. They blindly fired like three times and I couldn’t avoid the third one”

“Aw, poor thing,” Cat replied sincerely, pouting slightly, “I’m pretty sure it wasn’t your fault, though. It’s not like you are faster than bullets”

“You’d be surprised”

Cat laughed sweetly before putting her gloves on and addressing the injured boy, “Take off your shirt”

“What for?” The boy asked, laughing nervously.

“There is a bullet in your shoulder, silly. Or at least some considerable damage,” The girl said, eying the wound, “And I can’t examine it with your uniform on”

“Can’t…Can’t you just cut the sleeve off or…?” He stuttered

“I don’t think I can,” Cat replied thoughtful, folding and resting her arms on the table, as if there wasn’t a bleeding soldier right next to her, “It’s your uniform, if you cut it off you’ll be left with nothing to wear for the next few days. Besides, I think that’s illegal,” She finished, covering her mouth as if the word _illegal_ was a blasphemy.

The boy sighed reluctantly, obviously uncomfortable by the idea but in enough pain to budge and just wanting it to be over.

Cat smiled as the boy began unbuttoning the front side of his green jacket. The girl helped him take his bloody undershirt off and began to work.

The sight of blood still made her dizzy and she struggled to keep her breakfast down, but she pushed herself to go through with it. The boy seemed nice and she wanted to do her best for an unlucky soldier like him.

It wasn’t until a harsh movement that made the boy hiss in pain made Cat turn and take a look at him properly. He had blonde hair and bright green eyes, pale and delicate skin, something she hadn’t seen in soldiers in, well, ever.

“What happened to you?” Cat asked befuddled.

“What do you mean?” He asked back, suppressing a groan of pain as the nurse treated his wound.

“That bandage on your chest” She explained herself, “What happened to you?”

“Um, well, you know…bullets, and knives, and explosions and…war stuff”

“I could check those wounds for you if you’d like, just to make sure they’re better now”

“I’m alright”

“Are you sure? They could get infected if they aren’t treated proper-

“I said I’m alright!” The boy replied back in a high-pitched voice that sent him in an exaggerated attack of coughs, “I mean, I said I’m alright,” He repeated, in the same old hoarse voice of his.

Cat looked skeptical but continued her job nevertheless. The bullet hadn’t pierced too far into the shoulder and she was able to get it out in a matter of minutes. It was a small bullet and not much damage had been done. Although there was blood, something she still had trouble treating.

“This is gonna hurt a little”

“I’ve gone through worse” The boy replied as Cat began to sew the wounded skin together.

The young soldier didn’t cry and only hissed out in pain one or two times, which was something Cat was surprised by. Most men she had treated usually screamed out in pain, even those with smaller wounds than the one the boy had.

“You never told me your name,” Cat said, looking up at him briefly.

“We don’t go by names here, only last names”

“Alrighty, what’s your last name then?”

“Puckett”

“Well, I’m Cat Valentine,” She replied cheerfully.

“Yeah, I know. You have a very big name tag sewn to the front of your uniform”

“I thought it would be cute,” The girl pouted, looking down at her name tag with little hearts and flowers drawn around it.

“It is,” Puckett replied, laughing heartedly at the reaction of his nurse.

Cat smiled at the compliment and finished her work in silence.

“There you go,” She announced once she was done, “Good as new”

Puckett muttered a small thank you as he sat on the table and reached for his bloody undershirt, but Cat stopped him in the act, “I’m not done yet”

“What?” The boy laughed, “You’re gonna put a band-aid there and kiss it better?”

“No, I’m going to bandage your shoulder so you don’t make harsh movements for the next couple of days,” Cat said, smiling sweetly at Puckett, “But,” She continued when she finished with the bandages, “I am going to kiss it better, because that always helps”

Before Puckett could protest, the redhead jumped on her feet and placed a tender kiss on the freshly bandaged wound, before gathering everything in her first-aid kit and making her way out the tent.

“Nice talking to you, Sam,” She said gleefully.

“Sam?” The boy asked in confusion, “My name’s not Sam, its Puckett. I already told you” 

The redhead laughed sweetly and turned to look at him, “You always wanted to be a soldier when you were little Sammy…Just don’t get caught,” She said, winking at Sam before abandoning the tent, leaving a very amused Sam behind.


	2. party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Her laughter was interrupted by a loud kick on the door from Sam’s part that was almost successful at bringing it down. Tori flinched away from the door and retreated right the way. 
> 
> “We’ll be right back, Sam,” Carly laughed, good-heartedly, “Good luck in there”

The door slammed shut behind the girls after they were unceremoniously thrown inside the small, dark closet in the back of Tori’s basement. The mocking giggles of both Carly and Tori could be heard outside the closet, before the latter addressed the two from the other side of the door, “Seven minutes in heaven guys! No less, so don’t get all worked up in there!”

Her laughter was interrupted by a loud kick on the door from Sam’s part that was almost successful at bringing it down. Tori flinched away from the door and retreated right the way.

“We’ll be right back, Sam,” Carly laughed, good-heartedly, “Good luck in there”

And with that, the pair was left in complete and utter silence. They could no longer hear the loud music and chatting of the people upstairs at Tori’s party, and the small space in the closet made the situation more claustrophobic than sexy, which is what the point of the stupid game was supposed to be to start with.

“Fuck,” Sam cursed under her breath, trying to create as much distance as possible between her and her redheaded companion.

“That’s not a very nice thing to say”

“Cat, I don’t think this is the right time for you to start nagging”

“I’m not nagging!” Cat screamed, making the sound of her voice rebound inside the small closet and making Sam even more irritated than she already was.

“That’s it, I’m bringing the door down,” She said, retreating as far back as the small room allowed her to and preparing to throw one last swift kick to the door. She’d owe Cat’s stupid friend a new one, and her roommate would surely never let her forget it, but she didn’t care. She needed to get out of there.

“Wait! Don’t!”

Cat placed herself between the door and Sam’s threatening foot, taking it into her hands and shoving it back down onto the floor with a strength the blonde was surprised Cat even had. With the little light they had Cat could discern Sam’s look that varied between confusion, anger and shock.

“Don’t kick Tori’s door down, you’ll hurt it!”

“Cat, it’s just a fucking door”

“What’s the thing about this game you don’t like anyways?” The redhead questioned, deciding to ignore both, Sam’s argument and cuss word, “Games are fun!”

“Do you even know what this game is about?”

“…No,” Cat said, smiling innocently, “But it doesn’t mean we can’t play!”

“We can’t”

“Why not?” She pouted

“Because it’s not the sort of game you think it is”

“Well, explain it to me then!”

Sam hesitated, resting her back against the wall behind her and letting her eyes wander on any other thing that was not the girl in front of her. A couple of seconds of expectation from Cat’s part and the blonde gave up, sighing in defeat, “its seven minutes in heaven, Cat. We’re supposed to make out”

Even in the dim light Sam could distinguish Cat’s features turning red, almost matching her hair, “Oh, well…What do we win?”

The blonde scoffed at the question, “Nothing. It’s not a competition”

It took her a few seconds of thinking the idea through, “I like it them,” Cat smiled.

“Like what?”

“The game! It’s better when you play just to have fun, not to try to defeat others. Because when they lose they get sad, and I don’t like it when people are sad”

Sam couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She’d been living with Cat for over a year, and she’d heard a lot of crazy shit from her. But that was crossing the line, even for someone as particular as her roommate.

“I don’t think you understood this, Cat. We’d have to _kiss_. On the _lips_ ”

“So? It’ll be fun!” She smiled

“Do you even know what kissing involves?”

“Do you? You seem quite scared at the idea”

“Oh, trust me. I do know what kissing involves”

“Prove it,” Cat challenged her, the innocence leaving the tone of her voice completely.

It didn’t take long for Sam to take the two steps to close the distance between the two and slam Cat against the door behind her, capturing her lips in one swift movement. She hadn’t meant to be so rough on the redhead; she had just wanted to scare her well enough to shut her up and wait for the five fucking minutes to pass in silence. It was just meant to be a quick peck on the lips to show her Sam Puckett wasn’t afraid of anything, to show her no one challenged Sam Puckett without consequences.

But Cat was pulling her closer, embracing the back of her neck and deepening the kiss with a sense of urgency. Sam wanted to pull away, that couldn’t be right, that couldn’t be happening. She couldn’t be making out with her innocent, childlike roommate. But with every movement of their tongues and every little noise Cat made, her reasoning seemed to be drifting further and further into the back of her head, until she could not listen to that annoying little voice that told her to stop.

Hells, she realized she didn’t want to stop. She realized she’d wanted this since the very first second she laid eyes on her. And now she wasn’t gonna stop, she was going to keep kissing Cat for the rest of her life. It was going to become an addiction, she was sure. An addiction she was sure she did not want to recover from, because it was just too good. Too heavenly.

Sam lifted the other girl up effortlessly, breaking the kiss momentarily to let Cat encircle her waist with her legs. The blonde continued her trail of kisses down Cat’s throat, making the redhead gasp in pleaser as Sam’s hands travelled inside Cat’s adorable Christmas sweater, caressing and scratching her torso at the same time, Cat moaning in delight.

“Alright, girls! Time’s up!” They heard Tori say from outside, before the door was suddenly thrown open and they both stumbled down the hard floor.

“What the fuck?!” Sam screamed out from below, trying to recover from falling half on top of a very content Cat who could not stop giggling.

“I told you not to get all carried out and that’s the first thing you do,” Tori said, trying to hide the amusement in her voice but failing miserably.

“I am so going to kill you-

“Hey, Tori!” Cat called out, “Can we have other five minutes in there? That was fun!”

“Um, sure Cat! I guess. Wouldn’t you be more comfortable in your room though?”

“We can have your room? Yay! Thank you, Tori!” Cat said enthusiastically before waving goodbye and dragging Sam behind her.

“What? I did not say! Cat!” But the pair was long gone, climbing up the stairs of the basement and disappearing into the crowd, up to Tori’s bedroom.

“Just be careful! Don’t break anything down!” Tori yelled at them after at the foot of the staircase that leaded to the second floor, “Make a list of whatever you touch up there so I can replace it afterwards! Ah-fuck it,” Tori sighed in defeat, walking to the nearest couch and throwing herself on it, face-first.

Stupid game.


	3. medieval land

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “My lady,” She heard, and it was definitely not Jade. 
> 
> “Please, do not call me that,” Cat replied, turning around to stare at barely visible Sam. She was also covered in a fur coat, still shaking slightly, not used to the chilly weather at all in the South.
> 
> “What do I call you then?” 
> 
> “Cat would do just fine”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> part 1 of a game of thrones inspired series

There wasn’t a single soul in the Northern lands that hadn’t heard of the upcoming visit of the Puckett family. Most particularly, there wasn’t a soul in all Seven Kingdoms who hadn’t heard of the betrothal between Prince Beck Puckett, heir to the Kingdom, and the Princess of the North, Lady Tori Valentine.

For weeks, the servants in the castle wouldn’t stop fussing around, running from place to place, delivering and taking orders. The ladder of chaos was upon them, and the Puckett’s weren’t even close to the Northern lands. That’s why Cat preferred to spend her time at the stables, helping with the care of the horses. And sometimes, when she heard the unstopping singing of a hammer clashing with metal, she would silently sneak into the forge where her friend Jade was surely working.

Jade Snow had grown accustomed to the visits Cat paid to her almost weekly. She’d even developed some affection towards the redhead, not that she’d admit it, not even to herself.

Cat would sometimes find Tori in the smithy by the time she showed up. Whenever those encounters happened, it only meant Tori’s mother, The Lady of the North, Lady Holly Valentine, wasn’t anywhere to be found.

Cat couldn’t even begin to imagine how outraged Lady Holly would be if she discovered her only daughter hanging out with two bastards, one of them a lowborn.

Lady Holly wasn’t a bad person, Cat knew it herself. She’d seen her tend to her children, Lord Robert, Lady Tori and Lord Fredward, who also happened to be Cat’s half brothers.

Caterina Snow, _or the bastard of the North_ , like most smallfolk in the village were to used to call her.

Cat was the illegitimate daughter of Lord David Valentine, guardian of the North. He brought her back to the North with him after the War was over, when she was just a baby. She never experienced any loving care from Lady Holly’s part, but she never really expected to. She was a reminder of the vows her father had broken, a cause of sorrow and shame to Lady Holly.

They’d never mistreated her though. Her half-brothers were kind to her and loved her endlessly, so did her father. She was confident Lady Holly cared for her too, a little bit a least. Cat swears she saw Lady Holly kneel next to her bed and pray to all the gods once, when she was five and was horribly sick.

It could have been a dream, a hallucination caused by the high fever she was experiencing, but she liked to believe the opposite.

* * *

The day of the regal visitor was finally upon them, and Cat was awakened early in the morning by one of the cooks, urging her to wash and get ready. She was used to be present in the room whenever her family greeted visitors, usually in the far back with the servants, handmaidens and cooks, and she was never supposed to address any of the visitors unless they addressed her first. And even then, her responses were supposed to stay short and direct.

This time, however, Cat was informed she was going to be standing next to Fredward, the youngest of the Valentine family. Her stomach flipped over and her body started to shake tensely. She didn’t want to be nervous; it would only mean she was excited. And she’d grown up convincing herself that she did not care if she wasn’t a real part of the family.

No matter what she told herself however, by the time the Valentines were waiting for the royal caravan to arrive near the Eastern gate she was basically preventing herself from jumping frantically as she took her place next to Fredward, at the end of the line. True, she was older than the ten-year-old Fredward Valentine and was supposed to be next to Robert, the eldest Valentine and heir to the North, but she was not going to push her luck any further.

Tori smiled at the redhead’s obvious excitement while Fredward held her hand tenderly in support. The caravan crossed the gates, and the time stopped for Cat.

The King was the first one to step down, an old man with a long black beard that was starting to turn white. The Queen was next; her yellow hair shinning as bright as the sun above. She looked tired, though, and quite irritated when her husband didn’t take her hand to help her down.

Lady Melanie stepped down after her mother, delicacy flowing out of her with every movement she made. Her kind smile was one Cat could not help but return in equal cheerfulness.

The door of the caravan was closed and the two lads in armor that were leading it stepped down their horses. The tallest one took his place in-between Melanie and the Queen, removing his helmet. The tales about Prince Beck’s charm weren’t exaggerated in the least, and Cat found herself dreamingly gazing at him for a second. He looked very gallant in his gold-and-red armor, and for a split of a second, Cat couldn’t help but feel just the tiniest bit of jealousy for Tori.

Her half-sister didn’t look as impressed though, and she wore the same fake smile that she was sure Lady Holly had taught her.

The last lad stood next to Lady Melanie, right at the end of the line just like Cat herself. They were right in front of the other, and the lad acknowledged her with a courteous nod. The redhead started daydreaming again. She didn’t know the Puckett’s had another son. Or perhaps it was not another Prince, maybe he was a Knight. Maybe he was the Commander of the Kingsguard. Perhaps a Duke or a minor Lord, but a Lord nonetheless.

The lad removed the helmet though, and it turned out he wasn’t a lad. The person in armor, riding next to the Prince, was no other than the Princess herself, Lady Samantha. Her golden locks fell graciously around her shoulders, adorning her face and making her bright green eyes even more striking.

She knew she wasn’t supposed to stare, it wasn’t polite, it wasn’t very lady-like for her to do so. But she couldn’t control herself, it was impossible.

Lady Samantha didn’t seem to notice, and Cat’s trance was broken when the King stepped forward and her family kneeled and she soon followed. They rose when the King allowed it so, and he and her father shared an affectionate hug. The two men had been friends for a long time, even before the war started many years ago. It was no wonder why they were so keen on marrying their two heirs, joining their Houses would bring their families even closer.

The two men retreated into the Great Hall while Lady Holly offered to show The Queen and her children their rooms with the help of their servants. They all soon followed their respective mothers, Tori squeezing Cat’s hand before leaving. Cat knew her half-sister didn’t have much of a choice when it came to noble duties.

She didn’t know what to do after all was over. The excitement of the moment had disappeared and she was very well aware she could not follow Lady Holly and The Queen, or their children. Going back to the kitchens seemed like a very viable option, perhaps they’d let her help this time for the great feast that was going to take place the following night. They hadn’t let her cook something since she almost caught the entire kitchen on fire.

She could test her luck and pay Jade a visit, but she doubted Jade was going to be in a good mood. She rarely was, but in that particular day, Jade was ought to be infuriated. Prince Beck and Princess Tori’s betrothal was going to be official after the feast, and Cat was sure she could hear Jade’s heavy hammer hitting the steel with such force, she was surprised the strong iron element hadn’t broken yet.

The redhead was so lost in thought she didn’t realize that Sam was still standing across from her, staring intently. Sam’s intentional cough brought her back to reality.

“Are you feeling alright?”

Cat didn’t respond right the way, blushing profusely instead of coming up with an acceptable reply. Instead, she questioned the Princess, “Shouldn’t you have gone with your Lady Mother and siblings to see your chambers, My Lady?”

“They’ll survive without me for a while,” Sam shrugged, deciding to turn things around “Shouldn’t you have gone with your Lady Mother?”

“I-I,” Cat stammered, “She isn’t-It wouldn’t-It wouldn’t be proper”

“Why not? You’re here, you greeted us, why wouldn’t it be-Oh,” Realization dawned on Sam’s mind, eyes returning to stare at the redhead attentively.

Cat started to feel uneasy under Sam’s gaze now that she was aware of the truth, so she took a step back and fixed her stare on the caravan behind Sam, and the servants carrying baggage and chests full with the Queen and Princess’ clothing and jewelry. For a moment she pondered if she should go and help the servants out, with the only purpose of slipping away from Sam’s eyesight.

“You’re Caterina Snow, the bastard of the North,” Sam said, a smile starting to trace itself on her lips.

A blush crept on Cat’s cheeks once again, and all she could do was turn around and run away from that place. She could hear Sam calling after her, but her voice disappeared after she crossed the courtyard. Lady Samantha didn’t know the Castle, so Cat was sure she had gotten lost in the process of chasing after her. She was sure Lady Holly or the Septa would chastise her over leaving the Heir of House Puckett behind, lost inside the walls of the Castle. But she didn’t care any longer.

Cat stepped into the smithy, and just like she predicted, half the steel was almost bent over by the strength of each hit delivered.

“What do you want?” Hissed Jade, looking up from the sword she’d been trying to forge, sweat dripping down her red face, the fire coming from underneath illuminating her face in an almost hell-ish way. If Cat hadn’t known Jade before that encounter, she’d had fled in fear.

“The Princess knows,” Cat said in-between gasps, trying to catch her breath from all the running she’d done. Looking down to her dress, she realized it was all dirty and destroyed.

“The Princess knows what? What have you done this time, Cat?”

“She knows I’m the bastard of the North”

Dropping another blow at the steel below, Jade snarled at her, “So fucking what? Everyone around here knows you’re the bastard of the North. I thought you didn’t give a fuck. I thought _we_ didn’t give a fuck”

“Well I do!” Cat argued, standing up straight in a sort of defiance even though she knew she’d be helpless against Jade.

“Since when?!”

“Since today!” The redhead replied fiercely. All the anger and frustration of the day, of her entire life, was finally starting to flow out of her rapidly, and she couldn’t do anything to control it, “Since always! I have always cared; I have always wished I could be a real part of the family! To be a real Lady, to have a real mother, real brothers and sisters! I’ve always told myself the opposite because it didn’t hurt as much if I believed I didn’t care!”

Tears were threatening to slide down her cheeks for she cleaned them off swiftly. Jade hadn’t moved and inch and her expression hadn’t changed a bit. After a moment, the black haired girl just shook her head and went back to work, “Well too bad. That’s your problem then, fix it. You must learn not to care for real. Nothing good comes off if you do”

“I know you care too,” Cat whispered defiantly.

Jade looked up at her, narrowing her eyes in response and tightening the grip on her hammer, “I do not”

“You do,” She said, trying to control her trembling limbs, “If you weren’t a bastard, the daughter of a Lord, not the daughter of a drunken peasant, you’d be entitled to marry Lady Tori. You wouldn’t just have to sit around, brooding and witnessing as she is married off to a man she’s only met twice, and shipped off to King’s Landing like cattle, too far away from you”

The steel broke.

* * *

The library was her safe haven. She didn’t read much, but the silence and solitude gave her some peace and time to ponder. Lady Holly hadn’t found her yet, even though she knew she was looking for her. She overheard the Septa asking for her whereabouts to the servants earlier before she sought shelter in the Library Tower.

It was nighttime by the time she emerged from the dusty hallways filled with books older than the castle itself. On one of the tables she found an apple and a note from Tori, the only one aware of her hiding place. She urged her to meet with her at the smithy the next day.

Cat was sure she couldn’t go back to the smithy though. Jade would smash her head with the hammer in one swift movement if she ever saw her even glance at the smithy again. She’d really gone over the edge that morning and she was aware of it. For some reason, being judged by none other than the Princess of the Realm had taken its toll with her emotions, especially after such a significant day when she almost felt like a part of something.

She took the note and burned it. The risks of someone finding that note were almost non-existent, since practically no one but the Maester and herself visited the Library Tower, but she still refused to take a chance. She didn’t want to get Tori in trouble for helping her.

Blowing out the candles and closing the door behind her, Cat made her way down the Tower. She was eating the apple contently, since it was apparently going to be the only thing she’d eat until breakfast the next day.

The silence of the night was relaxing, the chill of the North making her brace her fur coat tighter to her body.

She heard steps behind her, following her close. For a moment she thought it was Jade, who was prepared to throw her hammer at her for daring to walk past the smithy, even though it was dark and Cat could argue she hadn’t even seen the smithy, which was the base of Jade’s threat in the first place.

“My lady,” She heard, and it was definitely not Jade.

“Please, do not call me that,” Cat replied, turning around to stare at barely visible Sam. She was also covered in a fur coat, still shaking slightly, not used to the chilly weather at all in the South.

“What do I call you then?”

“Cat would do just fine”

“Are you going to run away from me this time, Cat?”

“It depends. Are you going to call me the Bastard of the North again, my lady?”

“Now, that’s not fair,” Sam said, stepping closer to the redhead, “If I can’t call you my lady you don’t get to call me my lady either”

“If Lady Holly or your Queen Mother hears me addressing you in an improper manner they’ll throw me out the window of the highest tower”

“As if I’d ever allow them to do such a thing,” Sam whispered, briefly smirking at how courageous that had sound, “You didn’t let me finish in the morning. I’m sorry I called you what I called you. I shouldn’t have. I thought you’d be proud of it”

“Why would I be proud of something like that?”

Sam shrugged, “It sounds like a very rebellious nickname. I’d take it if I were a bastard. It could be the name of the next war, _The Rebellion of the Northern Bastard_ ”

Cat couldn’t help but giggle at the nonsense of Sam’s logic. She could see how pleased Sam was when she heard her laugh; it only made her grow as nervous as she was back in the morning, before everything got ruined.

“What were you doing up there?” The blonde asked, pointing at the high library tower with a hand that was covered with a gold-and-red glove. Everything the Puckett’s wore was gold and red, the colors of their House. They were quite proud people.

“Reading,” She lied, “I like learning more about the North”

“You do huh?” Sam paused before asking again, “Who built this castle?”

“Brandon The Builder,” Cat replied quickly

“How many years ago?”

“Five thousand,” The redhead said, hesitating a bit before delivering her entire response. She was sure she’d learned about the story of the Castle a few months ago. She received the same education as her half-siblings under orders of her father. She was an educated bastard, something most people seemed surprised by.

“Eight thousand, actually,” The blonde said, crossing her arms and smirking proudly to herself.

Cat huffed, “I was close”

“Not close enough though”

“Well, aren’t you as charming as your Prince Brother, Sam,” Cat huffed again.

Instead of being bothered by the comment, Sam only shrugged again, “She got the charm, I got the sarcasm”

“As equally gifted I see”

Sam laughed at the remark and Cat couldn’t help but feel quite proud at provoking such amusement to the Princess. She was sure Sam had been nothing but miserably throughout her stay in the North so far. Prince Beck had surely been appointed to spend some time with Lady Tori in the Godswood.

Fredward was behind on his work and had to get everything done before the feast if he wanted to assist. Lord Robert must have been organizing the feast all day long, making sure there was going to be time for him to sing a few of his, what he liked to call master-pieces even though Lord David silently disagreed to the nickname for the songs of his heir, grimacing every time he sang. His voice was beautiful, but the lyrics were not.

That must have left Sam with only her sister and mother to keep her company. And by the little she knew of her, Cat knew the blonde must not have enjoyed that very much.

“Lady Samantha?” A voice was heard from afar, approaching them step by step.

“Is there any place we can hide?” Sam asked

“W-well, the stables are over there and right next to it there’s a smithy but-

“Perfect! Follow me,” The blonde whispered before taking Cat’s hand in hers and guiding her towards the place Cat had pointed out.

Sam moved with a silent delicacy that was a combination between army and lady-like training. Cat, however, tripped over everything her feet found on the ground, stepping on twigs and dry leafs that were starting to get covered by snow. Every single _crack_ was the loudest sound in all the Seven Kingdoms to her. Especially with a man of the Kingsguard chasing after them.

The blonde kicked the door of the smithy open and closed it as soon as they were both inside. Cat’s features were covered in complete horror, not because there was a man from the royal army chasing them, but because they had barged into Jade’s smithy, at night time when she was surely sleeping. Not to mention she’d threatened her a couple of hours prior.

“I don’t think he saw us”

“You were out without permission?” Cat hissed in anger. If they’d found them, Cat would have been the one to blame, no matter how much Sam tried to intercede for her.

“Of course I was, do you think my Queen Mother would allow me to go outside this time a night?” The blonde replied as if there wasn’t a problem to begin with, sneaking a swift glance out the small window Jade had built in the smithy.

“Sam, I don’t think this is a good idea”

“Who’s out there?!” Jade screamed from the back of the smithy, where she’d a small room with a bed made out of hay and a small table with a chair and some food.

“There’s someone living in here?” Sam asked, incredulous.

“Yes. We probably should just-

The blacksmith jumped out of her back room with a small but pointy dagger in hand. Sam’s hand flew to the hilt of her sword that had been previously covered by her heavy fur coat; Cat hadn’t even noticed it was there.

“Girls! No, stop!” Cat yelled, jumping between the two ladies who were ready to battle each other in the tiny space the smithy possessed.

The mere sight of the redhead in her smithy only infuriated Jade more; face almost burning in velvet anger, “I thought I told you not to come back in here. Do you want your face smashed and then melted into the fire?”

“You will not do such a thing,” Sam snarled, drawing out her sword, “Cat, come here”

“My lady,” Jade said, her anger momentarily distracted. Yes, she wanted to murder Cat but she was apparently under the protection of a Princess. There wasn’t much she could do against a Puckett.

“Drop your weapon,” The Princess ordered, the blacksmith obeyed.

Jade was tough, and the redhead had no doubt about it. But even the blacksmith understood that disobeying a royal order meant immediate execution. Not before Lady Tori advocated for her life, she was sure. Not that it would help much.

“Sam, please. You too,” Cat whispered, touching the edge of the sword carefully.

Jade was confused by a mere bastard telling a Princess what to do, but her bewilderment only grew stronger when Sam complied without any resistance. Lady Samantha only took Cat’s hand into her own again, and pulled her behind her.

“Don’t threaten her again. If you do, I’ll kill you”

No one had ever dared to talk to Jade that way. Not even Lady Tori, not even Lord David, not even Lady Holly herself. She could feel her anger in the pit of her stomach, screaming out for her to strike Sam right across the face and hopefully break a bone or two. But her senses along with Cat’s pleading look forced her against.

“Yes, my lady. I understand,” She forced herself to spit out in the kindest way the situation allowed her so.

“Good,” Sam said, shifting her attention to Cat, pulling her gently to face her, “I know I’m an idiot most of the times. I apologize for that. My mother raised me, so I know a mere apology isn’t worth much. So let me make it up to you. Tomorrow night there is going to be a feast to celebrate the upcoming wedding of my brother and Lady Tori…”

Jade growled softly in the background.

“Well, turns out it’s not just going to be a feast. Thanks to Lord Robert, your brother, now it will be a dance too. Nothing big, most minor Lords from the North will be there. But it will be a dance nonetheless. I am formally inviting you, in case Lady Holly didn’t. I’d also love to escort you to the dance, if you allow me so”

It was the first time Cat saw the blonde blush, even if it was for the quickest moment. She found herself starting to blush as well, unsure of how to reply. It would be improper for sure. Lady Samantha Puckett, a Princess, a Knight, a Commander, an Heir, escorting the bastard of the North to a royal dance. Nonsense.

But as illogical as it all seemed to be, she nodded slightly, smiling timidly before voicing her decision, “Yes, of course”

Sam smiled tenderly at her, that proud smirk she’d been wearing before completely erased from her features. The blonde eventually remembered they were not alone, and turned her attention to Jade, “You are also invited, blacksmith. I’ll throw ale to my brother’s garments so he has to go change. When he does, you take the opportunity and dance with Lady Tori. Understood?”

“Yes, my lady,” Jade replied, trying to hide the odd smile that was threatening to appear on her.

“Good,” Sam smiled, “Come, Cat. I’ll walk you to your chambers”


	4. medieval fantasy 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’ll see you tonight,” Said Sam to the redhead, who was being dragged further and further away by the Princess, “I’ll meet you where we met yesterday” 
> 
> Cat could only smile back in response.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> part 2 of a game of thrones inspired series

Sleep didn’t come to the perky redhead that night. Too much had happened the last day, and now she had been invited to a royal feast by no other than the Princess; Or the Warrioress, like the smallfolk at Kings Landing liked to call her.

It was such a perfect epithet for the blonde, Cat was sure. Even so, the warrior had liked the sobriquet the people from the Northern villages had given _her_.

_“It sounds like a very rebellious nickname. I’d take it if I were a bastard. It could be the name of the next war, The Rebellion of the Northern Bastard”_

Sam’s voice echoed in her head, reenacting their conversation over and over. It was the Princess’s voice the one that seized her dreams as if they were lands ready for the warrior to conquer victoriously.

The sun was starting to reappear in-between the distant mountains, making the accumulated inches of snow that had fallen the night prior glisten beautifully in tender morning light. Cat’s eyes feel rather heavy though; one moment she was contemplating the beauty the North provided, and the next her world turned black, her body overcoming her will of staying away and drifting into a peaceful slumber.

A loud knock on the door woke her. With her dreams still feeling quite vivid, the girl struggled to get on her feet and drag herself to the wooden door of her small chambers. The visitor knocked profusely by the time the door was opened, only to reveal an overly excited Tori jumping into her room without invitation.

Jade followed her close by, stepping heavily behind the northern Princess. Her face was as indifferent as always, but the redhead could distinguish the tiny spark in her eyes when she followed the happily spirited Tori around the place.

“Tori?” Cat yawned before she continued, “What are you doing here?”

The Princess jumped towards her, “Jade told me everything, Cat. Everything!”

It was the only answer she needed to understand what was happening. Jade looked at her in an almost regretful manner, shrugging Tori’s affirmation away.

“I’m going to help you get ready, Cat. The both of you”

“I really do appreciate it, but it won’t be necessary, Tori. Really. Besides, your mother would kill Jade and I, both, if she saw us in your bedchambers”

“Nonsense,” The Princess dismissed Cat’s argument with a flick of her wrist, “Mother is with Robert in the Great Hall ordering people around, you know how much they love doing that. Besides, what would you wear to the feast if I left you here all by yourself?”

Cat glanced down at her nightgown and back up, walking towards her cabinet and examining her gowns meticulously. She could wear the one she’d worn a couple of moons ago, when the first born of Lord Harris, Andre, had visited the North. The boy had been kind to her, but she never saw him again after that morning after he met up with his Lord Father and brother.

The girl sighed in defeat, an action Tori received with an enthusiastic scream of victory, something a soldier would do after winning a battle. The Princess took a hold of her wrist and dragged her out of the chambers, not minding that the redhead was still in her cotton nightgown.

The blacksmith dragged her feet behind them, trying to keep up with Tori’s pace as she dashed out the small building behind the kitchen and through the yards. Snow was still falling and Cat’s naked feet trembled slightly as she pushed them through the inches of snow.

Tori didn’t stop talking about what she had ready for Cat to wear, and how she’d put all of her handmaidens to her service if needed. They were halfway there thankfully, since the redhead’s limbs were starting to freeze out there.

The warmth returned to her body soon enough though, provided by both the sight of Sam in the courtyard, practicing sword fighting with her older brother, Beck, and the panic that coursed through her when she remembered she was only wearing a simple nightgown.

To her horror, the Prince and the mob around them notice the three girls treading through the courtyard. His blonde sister turned to face them as well, and even from afar she could see her features lightning up at the sight of her.

Prince Beck waved at Tori, a sweet smile drawing on his lips. The Princess returned the gesture, a bit less eager. Cat could feel Jade tense behind her, and sent a silent prayer to all the gods, _please don’t allow her to do something stupid._

When the redhead opened her eyes, Sam was jogging towards them. Her hair was up in a bun, only a few golden curls falling to her sides, refusing to stay in place during the sword-fight practice. She was not wearing her gold-and-red armor that day, colors she’d come to dream of.

The Princess was wearing breeches, thick boots to keep her feet warm unlike hers and a long tunic underneath a short surcoat that showed the sigil of her house proudly on the front, and by the time she reached them, Cat was sure her blush had risen from the tip of her toes to her puffy cheeks.

“My ladies,” Greeted the blonde, not excluding the bastard nor the lowborn, “Your Lady Mother seems to be expectant for the feast. She’s changed the time for it, again. It won’t be after the sunset, it will start before”

Tori sighed in frustration, “I believe she’s just afraid I might escape the castle to avoid the arranged betrothal. After the feast the marriage will be official”

“Well, I surely hope you won’t run away from my dear brother. He seems very enchanted by you”

Jade scoffed behind the redhead, hiding her sarcastic smile behind her fist. Sam shot her a knowing smile, but said nothing rewarding the blacksmith’s behavior.

“We should leave,” Began Tori, “The feast will start earlier than I thought and its long past-midday”

“Past-midday?!” Cat couldn’t prevent herself from blurting the question on, “How long was I asleep?”

“Rough night?” The blonde asked before Tori could give Cat a clear answer, “I didn’t sleep very well last night either. That’s why I’ve been yielding half of the time to my stupid brother during practice. My mind’s not here, at the moment”

“Yes, and I wonder why,” The northern Princess said in a rather sarcastic tone, making Jade feel quite proud inside.

Once again, Sam paid no mind to the other two girls, and instead fixed her gaze on the redhead, “Now I know why you’re in your nightgown. You over-slept”

“Yes, that happens quite often”

“Aren’t you cold?”

“A bit,” Cat replied, failing to hide the slight chattering in her teeth when she spoke, “But we were just getting inside and-

Before she could finish the sentence, Sam snapped her fingers twice and one of the men who’d been observing her and the Prince practice rushed to her side, fur coat in hand. The Princess took in and placed it gently around Cat’s shoulders, the younger girl almost falling under the heavy weight of the fur.

She managed to stand straight as she pulled the coat closer to her body, feeling her body heat increase almost instantly inside her.

“I’m fucking freezing too,” Jade said, finally emerging from behind Cat’s back.

“Oh, are you now?” Sam asked, rather amused. The blonde turned her attention to an impatient Tori who wanted nothing but to leave and get herself and her friends ready, “Is my Lady freezing too?”

“Absurdity. Jade is more used to this weather than I am. She just wants your coat to sell it and buy ale”

The blacksmith turned to look at the Princess in an indignant manner, pretending to accuse the argument to be completely false. It was true, of course. But the Princess of the Seven Kingdoms didn’t need to know she was being lied to.

Sam knew, of course. But the situation was amusing her to no end, and she was never one to stop the fun from happening. No, that was her responsible brother’s job. Sam was there to throw wood to the fire in every opportunity she saw, and never had a doubt about jumping into whatever altercation was ensuing.

It was one of the reasons why she knew half of the council despised working with her. Whenever her Lady Mother asked her to wear the beautiful and expensive gowns she’d acquired for her to dinner, Sam arrived wearing the dirtiest breeches she’d managed to find. Whenever her King Father asked her to stop drinking ale, she drank three more jars of it. Whenever her Lady Sister asked her to stop exchanging bawdy jokes with the guards, Sam would exchange five more.

But her amusement was cut short, however, when Tori took Cat’s wrist into her hand and excused herself from the Princess’ presence before Jade made a scene, “My apologies, My Lady. We really need to leave. The feast will start shortly and there’s much to do. With your permission,” She said, before turning and trotting away.

“I’ll see you tonight,” Said Sam to the redhead, who was being dragged further and further away by the Princess, “I’ll meet you where we met yesterday”

Cat could only smile back in response.

* * *

The gown was perfect. The velvet gown with lined sleeves and braiding detail shined on its own, bearing the colors of House Valentine, blue and grey combined perfectly, just as proudly as Sam had worn her colors at the courtyard earlier. Two of Tori’s handmaidens helped wash and comb Cat’s hair until red crimson cascaded gracefully down her back. The grey boots the Princess had also borrowed her would help to keep the cold away from her that night, especially since her toe were still feeling a bit numb.

A necklace of the sigil of the House was the final touch for Cat’s perfect outfit. If Lady Holly saw it wearing it, there would be hell to pay for sure. But they’d try to stay out of sight and Tori would try and make her Lady Mother drink as much wine as possible, anything to make her even believe Cat was her true born daughter.

Jade had conformed herself to wear a black and purple hooded gown is made from taffeta fabric. The sleeves were longer than Cat’s, they almost grazed the floor and the blacksmith was hoping she could make more than one stupid lord fall flat on his backside tonight. The hood fell darkly around Jade’s face, making her look even paler. She looked quite scary, and that made the blacksmith more than satisfied.

Tori’s gown was more extravagant than the ones her friends were wearing, but it still bore the blue and grey House Valentine colors beautifully. It was made from the same taffeta fabric Jade gown had, but the addition of an embroidered panel to the front. It possessed a huge collar to the back with the sigil of the House that stood of straight and glorious.

It was something Cat figured a girl would wear for her wedding, not her betrothal feast. But perhaps the excessive garment had been Lady Holly’s idea, not Tori’s. And by looking at Tori’s irritated expression as her handmaidens gave her the final touches, Cat was convinced it had been Lady Holly’s deed.

A knock on the door distracted her from her thoughts, and the visitor revealed himself to be Lord Robert, accompanied by little Lord Fredward. They dressed as flamboyant as their sister, both in an overtunic with wide open sleeves and black boots. They were also wearing a skirt that hid their flashy blue leggings underneath.

“ _It’s a kilt!_ ” Robbie had screamed out as they made their way to the Great Hall. Tori hadn’t stopped pestering him about his garments, just as he hadn’t stopped mocking hers. Even little Lord Fredward was sulking, pulling at his “ _kilt”_ furiously. At the end, it came to the same conclusion of never allowing their Lady Mother to select their outfits again.

“Tori, I have to go find Sam,” Cat announced before parting ways with her friends.

The sun had long set behind the mountains, and Cat knew the poor Valentine brothers were going to get the reprimand of a life time after the feast was over. The night was chilly, more than I’d been the previous night, and more snow was falling down the clear sky.

The courtyard was deserted, except for a few Puckett soldiers who were gambling, drinking and eating some pork they’d managed to pilfer from the feast. That had been Sam’s feat, surely. A girl like the Warrioress would never sit calmly in a royal feast enjoying herself while her sworn men laid outside, cold and eating the leftovers.

“My lady,” The soldiers greeted her as she walked past them, leaving their game behind to bow their heads lightly at her presence.

“ _They believe a Lady, a Princess_ ” Cat thought joyfully, “ _I certainly look the part_ ”

The men offered their services to escort her back to the Great Hall, or wherever she was heading to safely. The redhead smiled and assured them she was on her way to meet up with Lady Samantha, that she would escort her to the feast. The soldiers yielded at her wishes but stated that they’d stay nearby in case she needed help or got herself in trouble; She’d only need to scream and they’d go running to her aid.

Cat thanked them for their kindness and kept going her way, the boots kicking the snow and leaving a trail behind.

Sam was there, sitting at the top of the stony staircase of the Library. There was a lantern by her side, illuminating only half of her body. From afar she could distinguish the red and gold she now loved and yearned to look at. When Sam didn’t acknowledge her presence right the way, the redhead cleared her throat loudly.

That caught Sam’s attention, making her turn around and realize the redhead had arrived. With a large smile appearing on her features, Cat couldn’t help but feel her insides flip over as she smiled back at the Princess.

Taking the lantern into her hands, Sam jumped to her feet and ran down the stairs. As she grew closer, Cat noted that the blonde wasn’t wearing her armor, much to her surprising slight disappointment. But the girl still looked as dashing as any Warrioress would, in her baggy, puffed black sleeve shirt with lace detail on the front, two buttons undone. Her black trousers were loose on her waist but hugged at her shins and ankles tightly, making her lacey boots stand out.

The faux suede sleeveless waistcoat she was wearing bore the House Puckett colors, shining even in the dim light. And leather belt hugged her waist, a golden sword hanging from it, securely inside its scabbard.

“Sorry about the delay, Jade wouldn’t step out the room until she got her black hood on. And Tori had to fight to get into her dress, quite literally”

“I heard from one of the cooks that her gown is quite the flamboyant thing,” Sam laughed, “I’m sure Beck will love that. I hope she hits him with that huge collar”

Cat laughed along, knowing she shouldn’t be making fun of the Prince but not being able to hold back the laughter at the mental image. Sam had her gaze fixed on the redhead, and by the time she noticed, the Princess had taken a few steps closer to her. She went still.

“You look beautiful,” Sam whispered.

Gathering all the courage she could find inside, Cat replied with the first thing that came to mind, even though it was the opposite she’d wanted to say, “The light is dim. How do you know for sure?”

“I’ve seen you before,” She explained simply, as if it was the most obvious thing in the Seven Kingdoms, “I know you look beautiful”

Before Cat could respond in anything more than a squeak, the soldiers she’d seen in the courtyard began yelling after, her, “ _My Lady?_!” They bellowed, “ _My lady?! Where are you, my lady? Are you alright?_ ”

Sam looked confused before she recognized the voices of her men. They weren’t surely looking for her though, so she looked at Cat suspiciously, “Do you know what’s going on with that lot?”

The redhead’s blush matched her hair, as she looked up to Sam in an apologetic manner, “I-I’m sorry. They saw men when I was heading here, to find you. They thought I was a Lady. A proper one”

She was expecting Sam to laugh, to push her off her cloud just like Jade had many times before when she’d talked about being a proper Lady in a dreamy voice. But when she looked back to Sam, there was nothing in her eyes but a sense of devotion.

“Better start getting used to it,” The blonde said swiftly, rearranging herself, “My Lady”

Before Cat could ask for an explanation, Sam took her hand and guided her out to the courtyard, in full view to her men who only sighed in relief. Sam gave them an amusing smile before turning back to Cat and offering her arm for her to take, “Shall we go inside? It’s rather late and my brother will be furious if I don’t show up.

Besides, I think I owe your blacksmith friend a dance with Princess Tori”


	5. medieval fantasy 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “We’ll go together,” Sam said, making Cat stop building her snow-castle, “If you want to. The North is beautiful, but I don’t take you as the person who would like to stay in just once place for the rest of her life. Come with me to the Wall, and then we’ll travel back South”
> 
> “And then?” The redhead whispered her question, leaning back next to Sam.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> final part of the game of thrones inspired series

The Great Hall looked like something out of a fairly tale, stories Cat was had heard from books when she was just a child, sneaking into the library with the help of Tori and getting the kind and old Maester Frank read them adventurous stories about how the Prince always saved the beautiful Maiden, and how the both always ended up falling in love and getting married in a dreamy ceremony.

It looked nothing like a feast. If anything it looked like the wedding itself; Lots of tables covered by silky white and grey tablecloths, adorned with floral arrangements that had surely come all the way from the Westernlands. Sets of candles illuminated the features of the guests on each table, dinning vigorously the generous amount of food her father had surely provided.

Chandeliers hung proudly off the tall roof, brightening the ballroom in the center of the Hall, surrounded by the tables with its guests. Behind them, enormous glass windows stood with the House Valentine emblem engraved on each. And in the front of the Hall, on top of a wooden platform, sat the royal families, dinning together and gazing at the crowd in satisfaction.

Her Lord Father and the King sat in the center of the large table, devouring an entire boar the hunters had brought on the early morning. The Queen was in-between of her King husband and Lady Melanie, who looked like the perfect image of a noble Princess.

And at the far end of the left side of the table was Lord Robert, who seemed to still be struggling with his tight leggings and silently cursing at his _kilt_. Princess Melanie tried really hard to pay him no mind, but it turned out to be a difficult task when the future Lord of the North caught his long sleeved overtunic with his kilt, hitting the table and pulling at the tablecloth in his unsuccessful attempt of escape. The expensive goblets flew everywhere, spilling wine on the table and garments of the Queen and Princess.

The King howled in laughter, obviously intoxicated by then. His daughter, Sam, soon joined him in mockery from the afar where her and Cat still stood, taking a look around the place to hide from Lady Holly’s eyes. The ladies excused themselves to go change, as Robbie sat there, still entangled in his mess. His flush grew deeper as the crowd cheered and did a roaring toast in his name.

Her Lord Father looked amused, probably as under the influence of wine as his dear friend, the King. Cat knew her father was strict, and if he had been sober he would have never allowed the guests to mock Robbie. He would had also excused Robbie from the party, sending him to his chambers without supper, even though he was close to being off age.

But her Lord Father remained jubilant as he sang-along to the songs the musicians were playing energetically.

Lady Holly, who was next to her Lord Father, clenched her jaw at her first-born’s behavior but said nothing when her husband ignored the situation. She still looked stressed however, so Cat told Sam they ought to be careful in a whisper.

Next to a very displeased Lady Holly, Beck and Tori sat together. The pair looked comfortable enough, but their respective fathers were surely enjoying the betrothal feast way more than they were. Prince Beck tried to come up with a topic of conversation every now and then, to which Tori responded courteously and chimed in with her opinion on the matter. After another four or five more sentences exchanged, the conversation would die out at the two were left gazing at the crowd and poking at the food.

Fredward, their little brother, was sitting next to her big sister. Obviously bored to no end, and opting to throw some of the beans in his plate to the guests closest to him. Tori reprehended him after the fifth time, and the boy disappeared under the table. Cat saw him reappearing on the far left, where Robbie was trying to drown himself in his own soup. The little boy mixed himself with the crowd and disappeared.

“Where’s Jade?” Cat wondered, raising her voice to be heard on top of the Northern folk music.

“Near Princess Tori, that’s for sure,” Sam replied, never taking her eyes off the large congregation of Lords and Ladies, “Come, my lady. We’ll sit on the tables far in the back, at least until Lady Holly is drunk enough not to care about seeing you here with me”

The pair made their way to one of the tables in the back, right next to one of the large windows. Snow was falling heavier and it made the Valentine symbol stand out even more. The table was occupied by some kids who were playing on top of it. Sam shooed them away.

“Wait here,” Sam said, tip-toeing to one of the nearest tables and snatching a couple of full plates and wine away from a pair of Lords who were drunk enough to be curled up together, asleep and snoring soundly.

“My lady,” She curtsied when she returned.

“I thought he’d agreed on dropping all the curtseys, _Lady Samantha_ ,” Cat argued in a jokingly manner, putting emphasis on the blonde’s name at the end to make her point.

“I am still aware of our agreement, _my lady_ ,” She took a bite of a pork leg before continuing, “But we must hide your identity in here. I can’t refer to you as _Cat_ ; everyone will know who you really are”

“Well, they have seen me before. Proper name or not, they’ll still recognize me”

“Nobody has so far,” The blonde shrugged, “Besides; they’re too drunk to glance back twice at anyone or anything in here. Take a look at both of our father for a much clearer example”

Even in the back of the room the redhead could discern her Lord Father and the King engaging in an apparent drinking contest, much to Lady Holly’s dismay. When her Lord Father won, the King laughed it off and asked for a rematch for the fourth time. Her Lord Father was happy to oblige.

Both Lords encouraged the musicians to play their music louder and the crowd to get up and dance, “Why ‘o ‘ou think the ballroom ‘s fo’ you sorry sons ‘f whores!” The King had bellowed from the table, cackling loudly and stomping his foot so hard Cat was afraid he was going to break the wooden platform.

That had caused Sam almost to spill the wine out of her nose, trying to prevent the laughter from escaping. The redhead thought it was an adorable sight to behold, but could still sense Sam’s disapproval to her father’s behavior. After all, Cat herself was feeling slightly ashamed of her Lord Father’s conduct. She swore to all the gods she could see Lady Holly’s forehead vein pounding angrily from there.

Next thing the Lady of the North took a goblet and drank the wine in one quick _glup_. Tori looked mortified. She took Prince Beck’s wrist in her hand and retreaded from the platform before her Lady Mother started dryland swimming on the table.

When Lady Melanie and The Queen returned from her chambers, they decided to mingle among the crowd instead of joining the overly-excited Lords and Lady on the large table. Robbie, whose soup-drowning suicidal attempt had been ineffective, dragged himself under the table and tip-toed his way to where the musicians were.

He took a sip of wine and proceeded to sing along.

_There's an inn of old renown_

_Where they brew a beer so brown_

_Moon came rolling down the hill_

_One Hevensday night to drink his fill_

“Thank the gods you’re here,” Tori said, reaching the hidden table Sam and Cat were occupying. Beck was behind her, looking more lost than the Princess herself. Jade was right behind Beck, glaring daggers to his neck, “There’s no reason to be shielding all the way here, you know? Most of the people left on the platform are _very_ drunk. I doubt they’d recognize you”

The Princess fell on the seat next to Cat, looking dreadful. If it was either exhaustion or shame, Cat could not say. Before the Prince could take the chair next to Tori, Jade jumped forward and took it out off his hands, smiling smugly up at him. They could chop her hands off for such an action, Cat knew. But the Prince only smiled back and sat next to his little sister.

_On a three-stringed fiddle there_

_Played the Ostler's cat so fair_

_The horned Cow that night was seen_

_To dance a jig upon the green._

“You Northerners _do_ know how to throw a feast,” Beck joked, “I’d never seen Father so happy since the day the Shays gave us all the wine that we could fit in our ten cellars in celebration for the betrothal of their first son to Melanie”

“So, about a moon ago? Before we left the South to come here?” Asked Sam, amusingly.

Beck blushed, and Cat couldn’t recall ever hearing or reading about a charming Prince blushing due his siblings joking around with him, “Will you stop ruining my anecdotes? You should be thankful I keep dismissing the topic of your hand in marriage during the council meetings”

Cat’s heart sank at the words. She’d never really thought about it, not even in the little time she’d had since she met Sam. The blonde was a Princess, second in line to the Throne in case something horrible happened to Beck. Of course she needed to marry. She needed to marry a Lord, a powerful one from that matter. Their sister Melanie had been betrothed off to a Shay from Dorne, most likely to maintain the peace within the two Houses. Especially after the war.

Lord Beck had been betrothed to her half-sister Tori, to join the two Houses that had played the most important part during the War. To unify their strength and power in the Seven Kingdoms.

What were they going to trade Sam for? Which Lord was going to steal her away?

“I’ve told you several times before, Beck,” The blonde said, taking a drink of wine and leaning next to her brother, “I’m not going to get married any time soon”

_Called by the fiddle to the_

_Middle of the muddle where the_

_Cow with a caper sent the_

_Small dog squealing._

_Moon in a fuddle went to_

_Huddle by the griddle but he_

_Slipped in a puddle and the_

_World went reeling._

“You try telling that to dad,” The Prince moved to take away Sam’s goblet from her hands and took a sip, “Or mom. Especially mom”

“I am planning to and I will,” She snatched the goblet back to her, “I’ll join the Kingsguard. You’re my brother; I’ve been protecting you all my life. The rest of my days won’t prove to be any different. Besides, you know the members of the Kingsguard are not allowed to get married”

_Downsides went up- hey!_

_Outsides went wide._

_As the fiddle_

_Played a twiddle_

_And the Moon slept till Sterrenday._

_Upsides went west- hey!_

_Broadsides went boom._

_With a twiddle on the fiddle_

_In the middle by the griddle_

_And the Moon slept till Sterrenday._

“As if they would ever allow you to do such a thing,” Beck scoffed.

His sister shrugged at his words, “If they don’t, you will. When you become King”

“That will be until Father dies, and he looks very merry and healthy to me,” His finger pointed to where the King was jumping gleefully on his chair, “What will you do until that happens? You’ll be way old by the time death comes to reclaim his drunk soul”

The blonde shrugged again, drinking the last bit of wine in the goblet, “I’ll figure it out”

The Prince shook his head, but the smile on his face didn’t display any frustration or displeasure to his sister’s claims.

_Dish from off the dresser pranced,_

_Found a spoon and gaily danced._

“Ah, yes. That reminds me. Beck, I owe these two a dance,” Sam motioned to the two black-haired girls sitting right next to each other. Tori looked up horrified, while Jade narrowed her eyes at the regal.

“You said you were going to be discreet about it,” The Princess hissed in discomfort.

“I thought the situation was going to be harder,” She stood up, loosening his leather belt a bit after everything she’d eaten, “But, Beck’s here. He’s my brother, and as much as I’d enjoy drenching his trousers in expensive wine in the middle of his own feast, I’ve got better things to do”

“You were going to do, _what_ exactly?”

_Horses neighed and champed their bits_

_For the bloodshot Moon had lost his wits._

_Well, cow jumped over, Dog barked wild,_

_Moon lay prone and sweetly smiled._

_Ostler cried, "Play faster, Cat!_

_Because we all want to dance like that."_

“Moving on,” Sam sighed, looking impatient, “Those two want to dance together. Will you allow it?”

“My Lord,” Tori began, flushing with embarrassment, “I sincerely apologize for this situation. I did not mean to-

“My Lady,” He leaned on the table, reaching and taking Tori’s hand into his own. From the corner of his eye he could see Jade tensing at the action, but decided to continue, “You should never be afraid of me, not now, not ever. I must know I will never deny you anything, all you must do is ask. Many people have the blessing of falling for each other before marrying, but sadly we were not blessed in such matter. But, my lady, I do not want you to be sad. I do not want to ever see you shed a tear or fake a smile. We might not be the lovers the tales preach about, but we can try to be happy. I want you to be happy, my lady”

“Yes, yes,” Jade murmured, dismissing his speech with a flick of her wrist, “Are you done, my lord?”

Beck eyed her before letting go of Tori’s hand and towering over the two girls, standing upright next to his sister, “As for you…”

_Gambol and totter till you're_

_Hotter than a hatter and you_

_Spin all akimbo_

_Like a windmill flailing._

_Whirl with a clatter till you_

_Scatter every cotter and the_

_Strings start a-pinging as the_

_World goes sailing._

Jade’s pretentious smiled faded away and the slightest depiction of fear traced her features for one swift moment. Cat’s eyes roamed the entire table, the Princess’ nervousness, Jade’s fear showing in her eyes, Beck’s teeth grinding and jaw clenched. Sam’s neutral expression was the one that frightened her the most. For once, they looked the part they were raised to play, and it was a scary vision.

The silence broke when Beck started cackling, sounding much like his drunk King father. Only Cat doubted the Prince was as intoxicated as his father. The boy clutched at his stomach and leaned his weight into his sister, who was bursting in uncontrollable laughter too. Their knees almost gave out and the siblings had to lean on the table to stop themselves from falling.

Jade was the one who looked deadly angry by then, and almost jumped to attack the regal brothers if it wasn’t for Tori’s hand stopping her. Even the Princess was trying to contain her giggles, a sight that made Jade calm down just for a moment.

When the brothers regained their breath, the eldest one spoke first, “I’m jesting, my ladies. Of course, of course. Did you seriously think I was going to execute you, blacksmith? No, no,” Beck shook his head, taking a seat again and pouring more wine into his goblet, “Good blacksmiths aren’t easy to find nowadays. Sam told me she visited your forge yesterday, and apparently your work is decent enough.

Besides, I would never enjoy separating two dear friends, especially if I intend on making my lady happy,” He took a sip and continued, “You’re good, I bet you fight well, and I could use your wits. You’re coming with the two of us back to the South”

Cat smiled in awe, looking at the befuddled face of her two friends. When she turned back at Sam, the blonde was smiling sweetly down at her. But before she could think about addressing the blonde, Tori jumped onto the table and hugged the Prince tightly, “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” She squealed, dethatching herself from her betrothed and giving him a quick peck on the lips.

Jade didn’t seem to mind as she stared into the distance, still trying to convince herself that it was really happening. The Princess jumped back to her seat, forgetting all the lady-like manners Lady Holly had taught her. Gathering the long hem of her dress she ran to the ballroom, dragging a still shocked Jade behind.

_Downsides go up- hey!_

_Outsides go wide._

_You can clatter_

_With your platter_

_But the Moon slept till Sterrenday._

_Upsides go west- hey!_

_Broadsides go boom._

_With a batter and a clatter_

_You can shatter every platter_

_But the Moon slept till Sterrenday._

Beck chuckled, raising the goblet to his lips, “You were right, Sam. It was indeed the best choice to make”

“You did this?” Cat asked, too softly that Sam didn’t hear her question.

“I just hope the exchange is worth it, for my sake at least. I will be the one dealing with Father and the council, not you”

“You’ll be fine,” Sam said convinced, “You know how to control Father well enough”

“I don’t think that’ll be sufficient when he realizes I traded his second-in-line for a lowborn Blacksmith”

“She’s a good smith. A good fighter as well, I’m telling you that-

“You did what?!” Cat bellowed from the other side of the table, jumping to her feet and almost tripping in her own dress. The scream was loud enough to be heard on top of the musicians, and all the way to the platform. Lady Holly turned to see what the fuss was all about. When she recognized the bastard girl from afar, a moment passed by before she waved cheerfully at her and resumed dancing with her husband.

“Um, my lady,” The blonde whispered, “May we please go outside?”

The redhead eyed her suspiciously, but still complied. Whatever the situation was, she was just happy she was going to be alone with Sam again. The table had become too crowded and the pair hadn’t exchanged a word after Tori showed up.

“You’re leaving me here all alone?” Beck pouted.

“Go and take Father off the table before he falls down and cracks his head open. Or worst, before he starts taking his clothes off like last time,” Sam instructed, taking Cat’s hand into hers and guiding her out of the Great Hall.

“Seven hells,” The Prince said, drinking what was left of his wine in one quick _gulp_ and running to the aid of his father.

_Fi-fo-fiddle-diddle_

_Fi-fo-fiddle-diddle_

_Hey-yey-yey-yey-oh-ho_

_Hey-yey-yey-yey-oh-ho_

_Hey-hey-din-gen-do_

_Hey-hey-din-geli-do_

_Hoo-rye-and-hott-a-cott-a ho_

_Hoo-rye-and-hott-a-cott-a ho ho_

_Hott-a-cott-a-hotta-ko_

_Hott-a-cott-a-ko-cott-a-ko-ho_

_Fi-fo-fiddle-diddle-hi-ho_

_Fi-fo-fiddle-diddle-hi-ho_

_Ho fiddlee-ding-galli-do_

_Ho fiddlee-ding-galli-do_

_Hoo-rye-hoo-rye oops-oops- ay!_

_Hoo-rye-hoo-rye oops-oops- ay!_

_Hotta-cotta-hotta-cotta-mi-fo-fo_

_Hotta-cotta-hotta-cotta-mi-fo-fo_

_Hotta-cotta-hotta-cotta-hotta-cotta-mi-fo-fo!_

_Downsides go up- hey!_

_Outsides go wide._

_With a twiddle on the fiddle_

_In the middle by the griddle_

_And the Moon slept till Sterrenday._

_Upsides go west- hey!_

_Broadsides go boom._

_With a batter and a clatter_

_You can shatter every platter_

_But the Moon slept till Sterrenday._

* * *

The girls crossed the courtyard, where the soldiers they had encountered moments prior were snoring loudly, even more drunk than the King and passed out against one of the trees. Sam woke the leader up, ordering him to wake the others and to retreat into one of their tents. If they stayed there, they were going to freeze to death. The soldier nodded still not processing if it was either a dream or reality, and moved to drag the others back into the tents.

They headed to the Godswood, Sam taking off her short cape and placing it around Cat’s shoulders. It was almost midnight and the air was getting colder each passing moment. Sam shook all the snowflakes off her hair, earning a giggle from Cat’s part.

“I guess I’ll have to get used to it,” The blonde laughed, leaning against the tree trunk next to the redhead, snuggling closer.

“Will you explain to me what is going on, Sam?”

“Hmm,” She hummed; putting on the gloves she’d stopped to retrieve from her room before they continued their way to the woods, “I will stay here for a couple of moons”

“Yes, that much I figured,” Cat replied, frowning in confusion, “But why?”

“Well, for starters, I’ve always wanted to see the Wall”

“Nothing fancy about it, really,” Cat shrugged.

The blonde laughed, “Says the Northerner. Of course you don’t think much of it, you’ve seen ice your entirely life. As for myself, before this betrothal journey, I’d only imagined what ice and snow would be like. Much like sand really,” She took a bunch of snow off the ground, letting it fall back again between her fingers, “Only colder. Way colder. A softer”

“I’ve never seen sand myself,” Cat confessed, gathering snow and starting to build a castle.

“Well, if you ever want to, you can go South. Not the nicest weather, but you’d like it”

“Why would I go South? In a couple of years Jade and Tori won’t even remember me. And I don’t have much money to go explore the Seven Kingdoms”

“We’ll go together,” Sam said, making Cat stop building her snow-castle, “If you want to. The North is beautiful, but I don’t take you as the person who would like to stay in just once place for the rest of her life. Come with me to the Wall, and then we’ll travel back South”

“And then?” The redhead whispered her question, leaning back next to Sam.

“Wherever you want,” After a small pause, she continued, “Ever fancied taking a trip to the Free Cities?”

“I-Well-Yes! Of course!” Cat giggled, “Does it mean that as your handmaiden, I’d live in a Castle just like you, and own fancy dresses and properly meet and be acknowledge by Lords and Ladies?”

“Who said you’ll be my handmaiden?”

Cat stopped rambling and looked back at Sam, confusion reappearing on her features, “Sam, I highly doubt anyone from your family or from mine will let you travel the lands in the company of a bastard”

“Ah, only you won’t be a bastard”

Her frown grew deeper, “What do you mean?”

“I’ll stay here in the North with you and your family, not for a couple of moons but years. We’ll visit the Wall and all the vassal Houses in the Northern lands. After everyone’s acknowledged you not as a bastard, but as a dear friend of the Princess of the Seven Kingdoms, we’ll go back South.

By that time, all the Lords by dad is so intended on making me marry will be too old and already married”

“And what if there are still single Lords around waiting to marry you?”

“I’ll keep breaking those stupid creepy Lord’s noses then,” Sam shrugged, smiling affectionately, “And then my father will legitimize you”

Cat smiled at the idea, too confused to decide if it was out of disbelief, mockery or hope, “Why would he do something like that for me?” She whispered, only then realizing how close her and Sam had ended up, nestling comfortably into each other’s arms.

“Because if he truly wants me to marry, a highborn, then I will,” Sam shifted closer enough to peck Cat’s lips softly, “I’ll marry you,” She said, before Cat embraced her by the neck and pulled her closer, kissing her fully on the lips.


	6. star wars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Jedi Knight sighed in exasperation, halting her advance and waiting still for the new girl to catch up with her. A Padawan. A Padawan for her to train, to look after, to take responsibility for; everything Sam was complete rubbish at.

Making her way through the darkness now invading the wide hallways of the Jedi Temple, Sam grumbled to herself. The Conference had taken more time than usual, and it was very late at night by the time she found an excuse to excuse herself in the politest manner she could manage after spending too many hours listening to continuous political discussions among the council.

She’d signed up for the fighting, she thought bitterly, not for the boring political affairs of the Republic. All the blonde wanted to do was retreat to her warm bed and sleep until noon, until her former Master would come around and quite literally drag her out of bed, muttering under his breath how uncivilized her attitude was, especially now as a Jedi Knight.

The peaceful thoughts about the cozy bed waiting for her were interrupted when a garish voice came from behind.

“Sam! Sam, wait for me!”

The Jedi Knight sighed in exasperation, halting her advance and waiting still for the new girl to catch up with her. A Padawan. A Padawan for her to train, to look after, to take responsibility for; everything Sam was complete rubbish at.

The girl caught up with her eventually; trying to catch her breath and balance the tons of dirty bags she was carrying with her. The Padawan was a perky redhead that was fairly too old to be trained, but the Council had taken a rather favorable stance for her and allowed her to join the Jedi Order.

The Force was strong in her; Sam felt it even before the girl entered the Council Room. Maybe that was the reason that even at a very short stature; she could sense the young Padawan standing tall and defiant, even if she didn’t show it just yet.

There were no Masters who could take her as their apprentice; they all already had a young Padawan to instruct. So they had all turned to Sam and asked, later ordered her, to take the girl under her wing and teach her the Jedi ways. The blonde tried to convince them otherwise, of course. She wasn’t ready for such a responsibility just yet, especially if it involved a young girl in whom the Jedi’s seemed to have put all of their trust and hopes.

But the Council refused to alter their decision and followed up with their plan, a plan Sam thought stupid and senseless. 

The girl looked up at her with admiration and anticipation in her eyes, and Sam almost lost all the control over her emotions that had taken her years to master. Clearing her throat, the Jedi Knight turned to her now Padawan and took a couple of bags off her, “Come on then, Kathy”

“It’s Cat,” The redhead said, balancing the few bags she still had on her back and shoulders.

“Yes, that’s what I said,” Sam replied, moving forward and motioning for her new apprentice to follow, “Come along, I’ll show you around”


	7. valentines day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It had taken Sam three months and a lot of blackmailing that involved Dice and a couple of Cat’s friends from Hollywood Arts to finally plan the perfect Valentine’s Day for her girlfriend.

It had taken Sam three months and a lot of blackmailing that involved Dice and a couple of Cat’s friends from Hollywood Arts to finally plan the perfect Valentine’s Day for her girlfriend. After all, it was going to be their first February the 14th together as a couple, and the fact that a worldwide holiday was named after her last name, according to Cat, only made the perky redhead even more excited.

Sam hadn’t seen her that excited since Yay Day or that time she got a bit tipsy at the Christmas Eve Party, and it made her insides tingle a bit. Not that Sam would admit that to herself or anyone else for that matter. She blamed it on the double-cheesed burrito she ate for breakfast and made her way towards their shared apartment, dragging all the balloons and overly-bubbly decoration Tori made her acquire, claiming that Cat would love it. Sam couldn’t really find any validate argument against Tori’s claims, so she just let her and André get whatever they thought Cat would swoon over.

Robbie was supposed to go to the apartment pretending to just be there to visit both girls while the others were busy with buying items out of the intimate event while Sam ate her cotton candy – a habit she’d picked up from her girlfriend recently – and watched her friends work. The mission was simple, Robbie would convince Cat to go out under the promise of ice-cream and a short visit to the zoo, and then Sam would get back to the apartment and have enough time to get things ready before Cat returned in the late evening.

The plan was perfect, nothing could go amiss. They’d get their perfect first Valentine’s Day ever and it would all be thanks to her cleverness, her intelligence, her charm, her effort, her-What the hell?!

There on the couch, in the middle of a dark living room with the only source of poor light being the television playing a marathon of Alf reruns, laid a visible sick Cat. She was asleep, or so Sam thought, she couldn’t tell from afar. There were two boxes of tissues on the floor right next to a pile of already used ones. The table was full with cough syrups, Nyquill, Tylenols and whatnot, it looked and smelled like a goddamned hospital. There was a wet cloth resting on Cat’s forehead, so the blonde assumed that Robbie had indeed visited but decided to withdraw when he saw Cat’s precarious condition.

Her assumptions were confirmed when she noticed a note taped on the wall near the main entrance.

_“Cat wasn’t feeling very well so I ran to the nearest drug store and got her some medicine. She fell asleep after a while so I had to leave. Sorry pal”_

_“Doesn’t this idiot know about the existence of cellphones now?”_ Sam thought bitterly, reading and rereading the note in her hand before tossing it aside and groaning miserably.

Cat stirred and turned, wakening from her deep slumber. In a rush, Sam kicked all of the bagged decorations out the door and fought the stupid thousands of balloons following her outside, rapidly tying them to the giant teddy bear and only stopping to make sure the food was safely hidden behind the bushes.

“Sam?” The redhead whispered harshly, wincing at the burning pain the mere attempt caused in her throat.

“Y-yeah?” Her girlfriend replied nervously, awkwardly jogging into the apartment and shutting the door close behind her.

“I’m not feeling very good,” Cat whispered again, attempting to rise into a sitting position and give her girlfriend some space to sit beside her but it was all in vain. She fell heavily onto the couch again, grunting painfully.

Sam ran towards her girlfriend and sat on the floor, right next to her. The dirty tissues were lying awfully close to her, but she pretended not to take any notice. She’d tease Cat about those after she got better.

“Damn kiddo, you look like you got the black plague or something,” The blonde said, running a shaky hand through Cat’s wet red hair. Her skin was boiling hot against Sam’s and she couldn’t help but flinch slightly at the touch.

Taking the already dry cloth into her hands she walked to the sink and drenched it in cold water again, “Do you want some water?” Sam asked, and she managed to discern Cat’s nod from afar.

With a grateful smile the frail redhead took he glass into her hands and took a sip. Sam took her seat on the floor once again, placing the wet cloth on Cat’s forehead in such a tender way even the blonde herself was surprised.

Cat beamed at the gesture and pressed herself closer into Sam’s cool touch.

“Sorry for getting sick on Valentine’s Day,” Cat managed to say.

The blonde shrugged, feigning indifference, “Don’t worry about it, kid. It’s not as if I had something planned or anything like that”

“You did though,” Sam froze and turned to look at her girlfriend in a shock she couldn’t achieve to hide. The redhead laughed softly, “Robbie told me,” was all the explanation she gave.

Sam eye twitched in anger, but she couldn’t do more than sigh in annoyance and rest her forehead against Cat’s.

“I just wanted today to be perfect,” The blonde confessed in a whisper.

She felt Cat shift underneath her touch as best as she could manage until they were as close as the couch between them allowed them to be.

“We can still have a perfect Valentine’s Day”

“How?”

“You left everything Tori bought for me outside, right?”

Sam blinked in surprise, but before she could ask, Cat said Robbie’s name again and the blonde’s eye twitched again. Her girlfriend giggle in response and snuggled her face closer to Sam’s.

“You should sleep,” Said Sam, immediately forgetting about her sudden anger towards the boy.

“I’m not dying, Sam,” The redhead whispered, smiling still, “Go get my teddy bear and the scary movies I know you got”

Sam beamed in return, a gesture that was only meant for Cat and Cat only, and leaned in to capture her girlfriend’s lips with her own.

“You’ll get sick too if you keep doing that,” The redhead said, smile still on her lips.

“It’s worth it,” Sam replied before leaning in again and capturing Cat’s lips in a soft kiss.


End file.
